AIDS-control workers demand job regularization

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: On the occasion of World AIDS Day, the All India AIDS Control Welfare Association (AIACWA) and Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS) on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the office of the Project Director of ASACS and demanded regularization of their job, salary revision and health insurance.

The protestors claimed that over 350 employees of the AIDS Control Committee have not received any hike in salary since 2013 nor they have been provided with any health insurance scheme like Employees' State Insurance (ESI), Employee's Provident Fund (EPF) etc. They further stated that, for the past 22 years since 1998, the workers of AIDS control organizations have been serving the public interest but still they are not given importance.

"We have submitted memorandum several times to the State Health Department along with the Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. However, till date Minister Sarma has not given any importance to the staff involved in all the health departments," stated a protestor.

Another protester said the severe AIDS control workers are not taken seriously. "If the government and the Health Minister do not pay attention to these people and do not fulfill our demands soon, we will intensify our protests in the future," said secretary of the state AIDS control society Manas Sharma. The Worlds AIDS Day is observed on December 1 every year. The day is observed to unite the world in the fight against HIV and show support to the people living with the disease.

Also watch: World AIDS Day: ASACS and AIACWA staged protest in Guwahati

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